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PR: Olympic Snowboarding Hopefuls Eye Inaugural
Grand Prix Tour |
PR: APSS Changes Name; Announces 1996-97 Tour Schedule (10-7-96) The Zurich Big Air Contest (9-21-96) |
Sugarloaf/USA, ME and Snowmass, CO will be featured stops on U.S. Snowboarding's Grand Prix Tour, featuring top U.S. and international riders. The U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix Tour is the first step towards determining the best riders to represent the U.S. when snowboarding makes its Olympic debut at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Japan. The two-event series will also mark the first competitions between riders from both major international circuits, and will offer the largest cash prizes in U.S. snowboard history. The inaugural U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix Tour will bring together riders from the International Ski Federation (FIS) Grundig World Cup and International Snowboard Federation (ISF) World Pro tours.The tour will kick-off at Sugarloaf/USA in Maine, Dec. 18-22, marking a historic first, as riders, regardless of affiliation, compete in an open arena. Colorado's Snowmass resort, near Aspen, is the site of the second event, Jan. 1-5. Each Grand Prix stop will feature halfpipe and giant slalom competitions. Total purse for each event will be $75,000. In addition to the U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix competitions, the Snowmass event will include the Nike Big Air Invitational. This exhibition-style event will showcase the explosive air and style of some the world's top riders. The Nike Big Air Invitational will be held at night in downtown Aspen at the base of Little Nell. The International Olympic Committee approved snowboarding in 1994 as the newest snow sport for the Winter Games with giant slalom and halfpipe competitions for men and women. U.S. Snowboarding, along with the U.S. Olympic Committee, is finalizing criteria for Olympic selection. "These Grand Prix events will be completely open to all riders and will help educate both the athletes about the Olympic procedure and give coaches and officials a chance to get a look at the athletes who might be representing the USA in Nagano," said U.S. Snowboard Director Sharon Harned. "This is just the beginning of the process to determine the best Olympic riders from the USA." She said this season's events will be followed by more Grand Prix competitions early in the 1997-98 season, leading to the Nagano Olympics. The U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix Tour will allow all riders to earn FIS points, which are necessary to qualify riders for Olympic competitions and will be used to seed athletes at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano.
The 1996-97 Grand Prix schedules: Sugarloaf/USA
Dec. 18 -- Registration Snowmass
Jan. 1 -- Registration
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